Jim Schwartz: Most teams would like to switch positions with us

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 20, 2013, 6:40 AM EDT

AP

The Lions went from first place to third place in the NFC North last week, but coach Jim Schwartz notes that all is not lost.

Schwartz says that because the Lions still have a scenario in which they make the playoffs — win both of their remaining games while the Bears and Packers each lose at least one — that means most NFL teams are envious of their current position.

“As we go in to the 15th game of the year, that scenario is there for us and there are probably 20 teams in the league right now that would like to switch positions with us,” Schwartz said. “There are some teams that three games down with two to play. Not exactly good. There are a lot of times some of them are probably eight games down with two to play. Being one down with two to play, it’s not our ideal situation, but it’s the hand that we play. We are not dealt this hand, it’s the hand that we’re playing right now and the only thing that we concern ourselves with is the Giants.”

Schwartz is right that a lot of teams would like to switch positions with the Lions, although he’s overstating things when he says there are 20 such teams. None of the 12 teams that would make the playoffs if they started today would want to trade places with the Lions, and three other teams that will make the playoffs if they win out wouldn’t trade places with the Lions, either.

Perhaps more importantly for Schwartz, there aren’t many coaches who would trade places with him right now. Because the Lions have quickly gone from playoff favorites to playoff long shots, Schwartz is one of the NFL’s most endangered coaches.

“We are not dealt this hand, it’s the hand that we’re playing right now”
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Hold on there Jim-boy, it is the hand you dealt yourself after losing three out of the last four. In some circles, its called choking, ok, not Minnesota Viking-level choking but you would have to get as far as the NFC Championship game first to get to that level but it is still choking.

Jimmy has worn out his welcome. I don’t think he’s a bad coach, but this team is way to talented not to make the playoffs in a year that they were basically given the division and failed to capitalize on it. Even if they do somehow back into the playoffs, I still think he needs to be let go. This team needs a proven commodity as a coach a.k.a Cowher, Gruden,L.Smith to lead this team where it’s never been before. They lack discipline, and it’s frustrating to see them lose games because of just that. He’s gotta go.

Yes, having a quarterback tied for the third most ints. in the league (17), as well as a 85.8% QB rating instills confidence. But hey, they are playing the Giants who feature the QB with the most ints. this year (25) and a 69.7 QB rating. Should be a real shootout.

The more I’ve seen Schwartz the more I see the problem with the Lions is….him. He’s a very capable “X” and “O” kind of coach. But some flaw in his personality is translated to this team. He has a top-flight QB. Perhaps the best wide receiver in the game. A decent running back and adequate offensive line. His defensive line is one of the best in the game. He also has one very good linebacker. The secondary is so-so. Special teams are ok. You add all that up and you should have n11-5 team, easy. Instead you have a team an eyelash away from elimination from the playoffs. This is a team with good talent that can’t put it together consistently. They showed on Thanksgiving Day what they are capable of if motivated. When that’s the case, it’s the coach that is the problem.

To have that much talent at your disposal and to continually lose games that you should have won is a sign of either a failed sytem on offense, defense, or both. That ultimately falls on the head coach if it is a prolonged situation.

It isn’t like this team is full of scrubs and they have no chance of winning any games they play. I am a Ravens fan and I will say that the Ravens didn’t win that game, the Lions lost it.

I think there are some out of work head coaches that might want to switch places with him. That team already has a lot of talent. It just needs somebody to lead them and get them into a system that works.

I don’t think any fan of another team would want to swap head coaches. Not Houston and their interim coach. Not Washington and their circus ringmaster. Not Dallas and their paranoid-over his head coach.

If I was a Jags fan, I’d rather not be mathmatically eliminated, but I’d be happier with Gus doing some work with a team that’s in the early stages of rebuilding as oppose to a coach with playoff caliber talent that’s struggling to make the playoffs (when the two best QBs in his division have missed significant time).

What he said is the truth,it isnt 20 teams but it is still alot. ask those teams that are out of contention if they would rather be in the Lions position and they all would say yes because they would still have a chance.only a moron wouldnt know what he means and saying the playoff bound teams wouldnt like to change places is obvious and not what he meant at all.not a Lions fan but cant fault the coach for saying what he said,every losing team would want to be where they are now, still having a chance to make the playoffs.

Well Jim, I do agree that there are probably quite a few coaches and coordinators that would love to switch places with you.

They see a team with a decent QB, a better than average RB, the best WR in the league and a pretty stout front 7 on D that’s WAY underachieving and if they have a competitive bone in their body they KNOW as the rest of us do, that they could get a championship out of that team with the talent they have on the roster. TODAY – not 3 drafts from now, TODAY.

YOU’VE been completely ineffective and they know they’re simply better than you are and that’s why they want to switch.

When you’re gone, Detroit’s going to be an attractive job for those reasons.

Thank you for playing our game, Jim. We have some lovely parting gifts including Rice A Roni, the San Francisco Treat, and a case of Turtlewax! Turtlewax with its hard-she’ll finish leaves your car sparkling and bright, But that’s not all, you’ve also won a copy of our home game “how to lose the division lead by poorly coaching.”

seriously, the standard for retaining a coach who does not have playoff wins is “is the team improving?” the Lions are not. they continue to repeat the same errors over and over. It’s time to change.

Wow. This is what’s wrong with this guy. I put a winner in his spot and there is no way possible he thinks anyone would envy having squandered every shot.
I think Tom Coughlin is Detroit’s man. Go get him. With your talent and his nature for discipline and winning, it’s a match made in heaven.
I agree with a lot of people that his time in New York has passed.

It has been wonderful having Schwartz in our division loaded with talent and zero clue how to use it. The Lions letting the Bears and GB hang around and not take their only chance to win the division for the next 20 years was also a great gift.

It will be great to see that smug loser get fired, but hope they don’t finally wake up and bring in a good coach. Then again they let Matt Millen hang around for an eternity so maybe they let him stay.

The Lions have to win out much like every other team trying to get that playoff spot, but that winning comes with a schedule scenerio as well. The Lions have to play the Giants and the Vikings, indoors, to win out. I think the teams fighting for the playoffs would love that. It’s not just about controlling your own destiny. Other than the Dolphins, the Lions don’t play a playoff contender in the last two weeks. Scenerios will change as the weeks go by, but the schedule stays the same.

Yes doesn’t every coach want a 29-49 record and the inability to win back to back home games since 2009? Working for the worst owner in the Nfl Jim has job safety, maybe they make him change a coordinator at worst in the off season. Face it Jim’s not scared.

He was awfully giddy during the talk to, and his comment about the 20 teams just shows that he’s not too sharp with numbers. I don’t mean that as a joke, but seriously if you are a Head Coach and you aren’t very focused and in tune with numbers on even the most basic of levels, that is just not a good sign. I know it was just a casual chat and he could have just simply said a dozen or so and not walked into that one, but it still doesn’t give me any confidence that he’s on top of things and grounded into the reality of his situation. I think this team needs somebody who is more of a cerebral coach and is careful about positioning in any and all aspects that relate to football in any way, such as talking about football.

It’s a game of inches and you can be so close to making a great play or speech, yet just one small bit away from complete disaster. There’s not much room for mistakes, and this isn’t good practice at not making mistakes.

winning out to get in is easier in theory than winning out while 2 divisional opponents (that face each other in week 17) each lose a game, but the rest of the NFC North is still a trainwreck of injuries, the Lions opponents are NYG & MIN, & most of the teams on the cusp are facing top tier opponents for their last games.

The only jealousy and switching going on is the legitimate dozen coaching cadidates out there who are foaming at the mouth to take your job. What coach wouldn’t want a foundation of a young franchise QB, Megatron, Reggie Bush, Suh, Fairley, good/young offensive line and an owner that doesn’t meddle?!

Considering that there are 15 teams that can go to the playoffs if they win out, and the Lions are one of four teams (with the Steelers, Cardinals, and Chargers) that can only get there with help from others, I supposed the 13 teams that have been eliminated would switch places.

The Lions have so much talent and they just waste it. It’s very much like the Chiefs and look what happen when they brought in a proven coach. Schwartz actually costs his team games (eg. thanksgiving 2012). He has to go.

Honestly some of what he is saying is true, as there are a decent amount of teams that would switch places with Detroit right now, but there is a simple response to that somewhat aloof and arrogant take on the situation. It’s not good enough. That’s it. No Detroit fan cares that a few teams not playoff bound at this point in the season are jealous of the fact we could still back into the playoffs after the complete collapse and disaster that has been the second half of the Lions season.

Maybe he is just trying to be optimistic and keep his team optimistic that they are only in a bad situation right now and not in a horrible situation, but it’s just not good enough and Detroit fans don’t want to hear it.

Looking at it from Schwartz’s viewpoint he does have two easier team in the League to play while both the Packers and the Bears have tougher games. Plus the Bears and the Packers play each other so one of them has to lose.

Jim isn’t going anywhere even if he loses the next two games. The Lions are in position to win this year, and for the next 5 years. Stafford needs to take a good look at himself in the mirror though. His Offensive coordinator needs to do so too. Linehan has Stafford thinking he’s a gunslinger, but instead he’s been a interception slinger.